1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a burner used in a Stirling engine and, more particularly, to a burner improved to retain a burner cone more reliably.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
A conventional burner for a Stirling engine includes a ceramic burner cone having a tapered outer circumferential surface, and a metal baffle having a cylindrical portion defining a tapered cavity into which the burner cone is inserted for being supported by the baffle. When the burner is installed in the engine in a horizontal attitude, the temperature of the baffle rises substantially, as a result of which the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion increases owing to thermal expansion. Since the ceramic burner cone undergoes less expansion at such time, a gap forms between the cylindrical portion and the burner cone, which is thus allowed to tilt with respect to the central axis of a swirler. Since the flame produced by the tilted burner cone will also be tilted, uneven heating of the engine heater tubes will result.
Another problem ascribable to the tilted burner cone is encountered when the flame is extinguished at engine shut-down. Specifically, since the baffle contracts at such time owing to a drop in temperature, the burner cone is subjected to stress that can cause it damage. Further, since the burner cone has little electrical conductivity owing to its ceramic construction, it cannot be used as the ground electrode of the burner igniter.